Latch for heddle frames



June 3o, 1936. J. WALKER, JR 2,046,099

LATCH FOR HEDDLE FRAMES Filed Oct. 19, 1953 Patented June 30, 1936 Nl'l'ED STATE PATENT OFFICE LATCH FOR HEDDLE FRAMES Application October 19, 1933, Serial No. 694,268

6 Claims.

The object of the invention is to provide improvements in latches of that type which are especially designed and particularly adapted for use in the heddle frames of looms for the purpose of operatively positioning the customary heddle bars in a definite predetermined relation with the frame itself and with respect to each other.

In heddle frames which are generally of considerable lengtlnit isY necessary to support the usual heddle bars at one or more points intermediate of their ends, in relatively fixed relation with respect to the rails of the said frames, yet the support must be cf such character as to permit the heddles carried by said bar to be readily shifted past the positions of such supporting means, whenever and in such number as may be desired.

Another object, briefly stated, is to provide in the present invention a combined simplification of an improvement over certain earlier structures in the particular art involved, making use of details which have proved of distinct value, and adding to them the cooperation of additional details which are novel and particularly characteristic of the present disclosure.

A further object is to provide in a device of this character a shank, normally secured to one of the rails of a heddle frame, and preferably also adjustable with respect to such rail, said shank being provided with a flattened and broadened head having a cut-out portion adapted to receive a heddie bar inserted laterally thereinto, in combination with a sleeve having an outwardly directed notch adapted to receive such heddle bar when the latter is in operative position, said sleeve being yieldingly maintained in such outermost position by means of a suitable spring, which in this instance is illustrated as a helical compression spring surrounding the said shank, said heddle bar being released for lateral disengagement from said head by and upon the longitudinal shifting of said sleeve against the tension of said spring, and until said sleeve is out of transverse alignment with such bar, the movement of such sleeve outwardly being preferably limited by a diagonal or other irregular arrangement or shape of the free end portion of said head, and said sleeve being limited in its inward movement by the unflattened portion of said shank, over which either one or both sides of said sleeve are adapted to slide. Herein reference is made to the outerward or innerward movement of the sleeve, and the corresponding portions of the shank head, as the terms upper and lower become confusing, when it is realized that for each latch in the position shown in Figs. 2-7, a corresponding latch is arranged opposite thereto in upright or inverted position.

In addition to the foregoing, the present invention comprises further details of construction and operation, which are fully brought out in the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is an elevational View of a heddle frame in which are employed a pair of supporting latches comprising one movement of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational View of a portion of one of the heddle rails partly in section in order to show the adjustable positioning therein of the shank of one of the improved latches.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2, showing the sleeve operatively engaging a heddle bar;

Fig. 4 is a similar section, showing the sleeve in withdrawn position, and without a heddle bar positioned in the latch;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the latch and rail, the sleeve being shown in section along the line 5 5 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 4 but showing the latch from the opposite side;

Fig. 'l is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing the sleeve in extreme outermost position; and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged end elevation of the end of the improved latch.

Referring to the drawing, a heddle frame is here shown as comprising parallel, oppositely positioned top and bottom rails I and 2, connected at their ends by any suitable means such as straps 3. Either single, or pairs of heddle-supporting bars 4 and 5 extend longitudinally of the frame parallel with and slightly spaced from the neighboring rails I and 2, and operatively support corresponding series of heddles 6., only portions of which series are shown.

Each of the rails I and 2 is provided at one or more intermediate points with a normally vertically extending bore 1, into which adjustably extends a bolt comprising a threaded shank and an unthreaded portion 9, which latter extends freely from and beyond that surface of the rail directed towards the other of said rails, the freely extending portion of said shank in turn being flattened to provide a transversely wider head I0, separated from said shank by oppositely positioned shoulders II, and provided with a laterally inwardly extending preferably rectangular recess or cut-out region I2, beyond which the free angularly directed end portion I3 of said head forms one side of said recess, and at its lateral terminal portion is angularly deflected at I4, for a purpose hereinafter described.

A sleeve I5 preferably entirely surrounds said head at I6 and is flattened in cross section, in order to closely yet slidably fit the adjacent surfaces of sai-d head. The lowermost portion of said sleeve, as shown in the drawing, but in reality the outermost portion of said sleeve, since the latter is used both in depending and upwardly extending positions, is provided in its opposite walls with aligned-U-shaped slots or apnertures l1, adaptedV to receive and at least partially encircle the laterally opposite sides and one edge of a heddle bar, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, when said sleeve is in its outermost or operative position.

At the opposite end of said sleeve, its op-V posed walls are provided either with a cut-outV region or recess I8, or with an outwardly expanded portion i9, in order to permit the normally forward and rear portions of said sleeve to pass upwardly above (as in Figs. 2 to "l inclusive) the level of the shoulders Il, when said sleeve is manually shifted rearwardly, and free from engagement with the heddle bar 4 (Orfor- Vthat matter the heddle bar 5), when said latch is in Vthe lower position as shown in Fig. 1. Slidably surrounding the shank 9 is a washer 27B betweenfwhich and the adjacent surface of the frame Vrail is positioned a helical spring 2|, which also surrounds said shank, and thru said washer cooperates with the adjacent end of said sleeve, to'maintain the latter in its normally outermost lor operative position as shown in Figs. l, 2, 3

and'l.

It will be noted at this point, and particularly by reference to Figs. 7 and 8, that in its outermosty position said sleeve is prevented from shifting beyond a predetermined point and becoming separated from said head, by direct'en'- gagement with the deflected terminal portion I4, when said heddle bar is in operative position within or supported by said bracket in a manner above described. Also, said sleeve may be made by flattening and properly recessing an initially cylindrical tube, or lmay be formed by punching or otherwise severing a so-called blank from a'larger piece of sheet metal, and'thereafter folding said sleeve in such a manner as to provide in Veiect a attened sleeve, similarto that hereinbefore described and shown in the drawing,V the method of forming such sleeve not, however, being an essential part of the invention.

IVv am aware that the invention may be Vembodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and I Ytherefore desire the present embodiment'to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not descriptive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing descriptionto indicate the scope of the invention.

Y Having 'thus described my invention what V VVinV one position of said sleeve to prevent a bar from accidental dislodgment from within said recess, said sleeve also comprising a substantially cylindrical portion slidable over said shank and said shoulders, and means to limit the movement of said sleeve'upon said head generally away'fromvsaid shank. Y t g l 2.`A latch for heddley frames, comprising a cylindrical shank a flattened head of less thickness than said shank, providing laterally protruding shoulders., saidY head having a recess adapted to receive a heddle bar, a sleeve comprising a flattened portion slidable over and conforming in cross-section substantially to said head, and also comprising a tongue operative in one position of said sleeve to prevent a bar from accidental dislodgment from within said recess, a spring surrounding said shank to force and head portions, one of which is substantially cylindrical kwhile the other is flattened and of less thickness than the rst, providing laterallyY protruding shouldersV at their point of union, said head having a recess ad-apted to receive a heddle bar, and a sleeve having relatively cylindrical and flattened portions conforming in general to and slidable over said first-mentioned portions respectively, and an extension on said sleeve which, when in one position, is adapted to cooperate with and prevent the accidental escape of a bar from within said recess.

4. A latch for heddle frames, comprising shank and head portions, one of which is substantially cylindrical while the other is flattened and of less thickness than the first, providing laterally protruding shoulders at their point of union, said head having a recess adapted to receive a heddle bar, and a sleeve having relatively cylindrical andl flattened portions conforming in 3 general to and slidable over said first-mentioned portions respectively, an extension on said sleeveY which, when inV one position, is adapted to cooperate with and prevent the accidental escape of a bar from within said recess, and a spring operative to forceV said sleeve into cooperation with a bar in said recess. f

5. A latch for heddle frames, comprising shank and head portions, one of which is substantially cylindrical while the other'is flattened and of less thickness th-an the first, providing laterally protruding shoulders at their point of union, said head `having a recess adapted to receive a heddle bar,` and a sleeve having relatively cylindrical and attenedl portions conforming in general to and slidable over sai-d first-mentioned portions respectively, an extension on said sleeve which,V when in one position, is adapted to cooperate with and vprevent the accidental escape of a bar from Within said recess, and a spring operative to forcek said sleeve into cooperation with a bar in said recess, said sleeve also preventing said springV from engaging said shoulders. A y g 6. A latch for heddle frames, comprising a cylindrical shank, a flattened head of less thickness than said shank, providing laterally protruding shoulders, said head having a recess adapted to receive a heddle bar and a sleeve comprising a flattened portion slidable over andconform-p ing in cross-section substantially to said head,

and also comprising a tongue operative in one position of sai-d sleeve to prevent a bar from accidentalV dislodgment from Awithin ysaid recess, said sleeve also comprising a substantially cylindrical portion slidable over said shankand said Shoulders.

JOHN WALKER, .n.1 

